HOLLYWOOD legend Sir Ian McKellen backed an anti-hate project by a group of gay and lesbian Merseyside teenagers.

The star of Lord of the Rings and X-Men wrote personally to the directors of Project Triangle, a social justice scheme devised and led by Homotopia, Liverpool’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender arts and cultural organisation.

A group of 10 LGBT teenagers from Liverpool and Knowsley travelled to Auschwitz–Birkenau to see first hand the effects of hate crime.

Their trip has been turned into a documentary and education pack to inform young people about homophobic bullying and hate crime.

Liverpool's Integrated Youth and Play Service is backing the pack, rolling it out to more than 20,000 young people.

Sir Ian McKellen said: “I fully support Homotopia’s determination to tackle the violence which defaces the reputation of Liverpool as a friendly, inclusive community.

“Homophobia, in all its manifestations, should always be challenged.

“We are all different, thank goodness.

“We all deserve to be treated equally with respect.”

Project Triangle was developed in partnership with Merseyside Police, the Armistead Centre, GYRO (Gay Youth R Out) and Mersey Fire and Rescue Service.

A documentary of the trip, accompanied by a teacher’s resource aimed at Key Stage 3 pupils, has been produced by Homotopia and its partners and is now in use across the Liverpool Youth Service.